16th July

1970: Sometimes you come across these weird clips from German TV of TOTP footage, usually from otherwise wiped shows, being played to barely interested modern day kids. The best bit of this Shirley Bassey Beatles cover is the girl right at the end, dead centre and at the front, who's heard there's something going on involving a singer and a TV recording but is hoping someone will eventually tell her where it is.

1981: The New Wave Of British Heavy Metal represent, Saxon with flying V, bared chest hair and kids trying to remember what it was they did to punk all in working order. "If you want action you've got it" Peter Powell says, and Dexys Midnight Runners' movements must be hell on the knees of the horn section and guitarist, all in their boxing training tops and little ponytails.

1987: While this Bananarama clip was filmed in London - usual drill, three women blithely sing in unison while in vaguely fashionable threads, quite some puffball skirt there - this clip is one borrowed from the shortlived US TOTP adaptation that ran for a year on NBC. Much the same approach, really. Back in a Simon Bates world Hue & Cry have their smart suits and haircuts, and then the pianist moseys on in shorts.

1992: Any dangerous chemical leak from all that dry ice and The Wedding Present are comfortably prepared. Sophie B Hawkins can't say that now, can she, having turned up in her pyjama top. A rare sighting via satellite of Billy Ray Cyrus' logo, half-inched from some early 90s video production company. His wading-backwards dance for the break is quite the thing.

1999: The fullest of production numbers greets Ricky Martin, from the multitude of small candles to the couch for the horn section.

2006: That's the easy way out, McFly, do a song the kids already know. And those are kids who get really excited by some sparks. Danny tries to make his jump onto the piano look spur of the moment, hoping we don't spot that great big box. Franz Ferdinand start the Katherine Hamnett revival.